A.T.C. Cadets To Carry Baton Length Of N.Z.

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 7

A.T.C. Cadets To Carry Baton Length Of N.Z.

(New Zealand Press Association)

INVERCARGILL, August 13. A 900-mile Invercargill to Auckland good-will marathon relay in which several hundred runners will take part, will start in Invercargill at noon on Sunday, August 26. The runners are Air Training Corps cadets from hroughout New Zealand and the marathon is part of the celebration of the Air Training Corps twenty-first birthlay. An Invercargill A.T.C. cadet will collect a message 'or the Mayor of Auckland, Mr D. M. Robinson, from the Mayor of Invercargill. Mr A. L. Adamson. He will place it in a relay baton which will be passed from hand to hand throughout the country. Each boy will run three miles starting from the Invercargill Town Hall and going through all centres up the Main North road to the R.N.Z.A.F. station, Woodbourne.

Cadets from Greymouth and Westport will go to Wigram and Kalkoura to take over the Dunsan.de! to Christchurch and Cheviot to Kaikoura legs of the run. From Woodbourne the baton will be carried across Cook Strait in an Air Force Devon and ...handed to the

first North Island runner at Wellington airport. North Island cadets will then carry the baton to Hobsonville Air Force station, near Auckland, where it will be received by Mr Robinson. The message will arrive during birthday celebrations at Hobsonville at which A.T.C. cadets from throughout New Zealand will compete in aeromodelling, shooting and Rugby competitions for a number of cups and trophies. The camp will last five days.

Mr Robinson's reply to Mr Adamson's message will be radioed from Hobsonville to Invercargill A.T.C. headquarters at the Army Hall. It will then be carried to the Mayor at the Town Hall. The runners will run day and night, non-stop. The baton is expected to arrive at Woodbourne at 12.35 p.m on August 29.